The interactive avalanche awareness tutorial, developed by the Sawtooth Avalanche Center forecaster Chris Lundy, is now online at avalanche.org The click-through, online tutorial covers the basics of indentifying unstable snow and avy terrain, how to travel safely, and how to perform a rescue. There are guidelines for avalanche class organization and progression, and a list of course providers and locations.

Care to dig deeper? The U.S. Forest Service website fsavalanche.org, provides information on analyzing stability, performing stability tests, and decision-making to stay safe in avalanche country.

Editor’s Note: Backcountry Magazine is a long-standing publication which we recommend because of its focus on human-powered skiing rather than lift-served, the latter which is…way passé. I’ve been reading the magazine for years.

Mountain Spirit Institute Founder R. Richards is certified Avalanche Level II training and a certified Level II backcountry ski guide with PSIA-I. Some of his training was under the legendary Alan Bard, in Bishop California, and Richards has taken the AMGA Ski Guides Course among other trainings. He’s a 20+ year “individual member” of the American Mountain Guides Association.Image: From How Stuff Works, courtesy NOAA